Holdback for vehicles



S G OLDBAO ILES. K FOR VEHIULES.

Patented June 10, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

STEPHEN GILES, OF PATTEN, MAINE.

HOLDBACK FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,756, dated June 10,1890.

Application filed February a, 1890- Serial No. 339,654. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN GILES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Patten, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, haveinvented a new and useful Holdback, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in holdbacks.

The object of the present invention is to provide a holdback, of simpleand economic construction, adapted to enable the holdbackstrap to bereadily removed therefrom to facilitate unharnessing, and capable ofreleasing the same should the shaft or whiffletree become broken, andthereby release the horse and prevent injury to the vehicle andoccupants.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a thillprovided with a holdback constructed in accordance with this invention.Fig. 2 is aside elevation, the thill being shown in section. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the spring. Fig. 4c is a detail view of theend of the hook.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a thill which isprovided with a holdback constructed of metal, and consisting of thevertical stem 2, inclined brace 3, and a horizontally-projecting arm 4.The stem 2 terminates in a screw 5, which is inserted in the thill 1 inthe ordinary manner. The rear end of the holdback is closed by a spring6, that is constructed of fiat spring metal, and incloses theholdback-strap, and has its free end bearing against the horizontal arm4, and prevents the holdback-strap being accidentally displaced; butshould the traces break or the whiffletree become broken, and the horseget frightened and attempt to run away, the holdbacks will offer noobstruction to the holdback-straps, and they will readily slip past thespring and away from the holdbacks, and be entirely released from thethill, thereby preventing any injury to the vehicle or its occupants.The spring 6 consists of a vertical portion 7, that depends from thethill, and a horizontal portion or arm 8, that is secured along thelower face of the thill. The horizontal arm 8 of the spring is providedwith a perforation 9 to receive the screw end 5 of the stem 2, by meansof which the spring is secured in place by the holdback itself withoutadditional bolts or screws, and the stem 2 is provided with an annularflange 10, that bears against the spring and securely holds the sameagainst the lower face of the thill and prevents any movement of thespring on the stem after the parts are secured in place. In order toprevent the spring turning upon the stem and becoming disengaged fromthe horizontal arm 4 of the holdback, the end of the inclined brace isprovided with a stud 11, that engages a perforation in the end of thespring.

It will readily be seen that the holdback is simple and inexpensive inconstruction; that it is easily applied to the thill; that it is capableof readily releasing the holdback-straps should the traces orWhiffie'trees become broken and thereby prevent injury to the vehicleand occupants, and that considerable time is saved in unhitching, as theanimal may be driven from the thills Without unbuckling theholdback-straps after the traces have been released from thewhiffietree.

WVhat I claim is l. A holdback comprising the threaded stem, inclinedbrace, and horizontal arm arranged parallel With the shaft, a springhaving a vertical arm or portion '7, engaging the end of the horizontalarm a, and a hori zont-al portion or arm 8, provided with an opening 9to receive the threaded stem and adapted to be secured in place by theholdback itself, substantially as described.

2. A holdback comprising the threaded stem, the inclined brace providedat its end 5 with the lug 11, and the horizontal arm 4, arrangedparallel with the shaft, the spring 6, having the vertical arm orportion 7 depending from the thill and adapted to engage the projectingend 4 of the holdbaok, and having the horizontal arm or portion 8,provided with an opening 9 to receive the threaded stem, and aperforation 12, to be engaged by the stud 11 of the inclined brace,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN GILES.

Vitnesses:

DANIEL SCRIBNER, AMERICA T. COBURN.

